Nice Things Said

Back Cover Blurb

The bright flame of the lighter cast an eerie glow over the grimoire.

He opened the book and began to recite a few phrases. After he had read a page or so, he could no longer see the words. But it didn't really matter. One moment there had been nothing but an empty black void. Then a thousand points of light seemed to leap out of his head much like an exploding rocket on the Fourth of July.

He wasn't consciously aware of the force entering his very being. The energy had come as an infiltrator would have arrived, without any warning. Although he had not tested its presence, subconsciously he knew it was there. He had fought it, tried to keep it from tunneling into his system, but the defense only lasted for a couple seconds. It unleashed a fear so intense he thought he was going to scream; however, no sound came from his mouth. Frank attempted to objectify the agony he was feeling. He tried to examine the mental reality of what was happening as if he were a product of another mind, a scientific phenomenon to be studied.

That worked for a bit, but then that defense, too, became overwhelmed by the force.

The pope is dying, and Cardinal Giuseppe Mercati is promoted to the coveted position of Prefect of the Secret Archives. While searching for an ancient manuscript amidst clerics' scandals, he uncovers a horrific conspiracy, a secret so vile that if it ever got out, it would unlease a chain of events that would rock the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church.

Frank Santino, a Las Vegas illusionist extraordinaire, is warned he must create an entirely new spectacular act. If he cannot do so, he will not only lose his job, but also his lavish lifestyle. A reliable source tells him that a certain rare book, the same one Cardinal Mercati is searching for, contains information that will enable him to perform unheard of feats. Frank sets out in search of the manuscript. He soon finds that the powers enabling him to perform those feats could very well hurl his mind to the brink of insanity.

A Review

Feel free to use all or part of the following, and edit to suit. This content was prepared for your use. We ask no acknowledgement of any kind.

Michael Cole's fifth novel, Room of Dark Secrets, is a story about two ambitious Italian men who come from wildly different walks of life. Although they never meet, they are both searching for a handwritten ancient manuscript on mysticismeach for his own reason.

Giuseppe Mercati is an opportunistic cardinal who has set his sights on becoming pope. He is searching for the book among the splendors and the scandals of the Vatican because he want to prove he is a competent Holy See administrator, one who is worthy of becoming pope. In his quest for the book, he inadvertently sets off a chain of events that could not only cause him to lose the papal election, but also further diminish the credibility of the Roman Catholic Church.

On the other side of the world lives Frank Santino, a magician, who is a headliner for a major casino in Las Vegas. He is searching for the same book, a book he has been told has powers that could revitalize his performance. For if Santino fails to come up with a new show, he will most certainly lose his job and his young money-hungry wife. He could also end up getting his arms and legs broken as he has huge gambling debts that must be paid.

Room of Dark Secrets was published by Foremost Press. It can be ordered through local bookstores and at ForemostPress.com, and at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com.
ISBN 10: 1-936154-52-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-936154-52-4
192 pp, $12.97